Avenue of the Greats / Former Residence of Uchida Family

Avenue of the Greats (Kichikoji)

　Kichikoji is a narrow street associated with the Mizusawa-Date clan’s fortress (Mizusawa Stronghold). It is believed that the nearby sacred mountain, Koma-ga-take, served as a reference point for the town’s layout. Along this path, the residences of vassals were lined up, including the birthplaces of prominent figures such as Choei Takano, a scholar of Dutch learning during the days of the Tokugawa shogunate, Shinpei Goto, who served as a minister in several cabinets, and Makoto Saito, who served as Prime Minister. As a result, in recent years, it has been referred to as “IJIN DORI,” or “Avenue of the Greats.” Shinpei Goto, who was the grandson of Choei Takano’s cousin, and Makoto Saito, who was one year younger than Goto, both studied at the Mizusawa-Date clan’s local school, Ryuseikan.

Former Residence of Uchida Family

　The “Former Uchida Family Residence Main Building and Gate,” designated as an Important Cultural Property by Oshu City, is a typical samurai residence of the Mizusawa-Date clan from the Edo period that has its main building (shuya), gate, and garden preserved as an integrated whole. The yakuimon gate’s thatched roof (kayabuki) dates to the Edo period, and it is believed that the main building was constructed around the early 19th century.
　The property has a width of 16 ken (approximately 29 meters) and a depth of 30 ken (approximately 55 meters). It is believed that the front side facing the street was enclosed with wooden fences, while the rest of the property was enclosed with Japanese cypress hedges. Along the eastern boundary of the estate, there is a stone-lined ditch. The thatched-roofed main building of the Uchida family had a front entrance called “shikidai,” located slightly to the west after passing through the yakuimon gate. This entrance was used by visiting guests and samurai. Higher-ranking guests would not use this entrance but would instead pass through a small hidden gate in the wooden fence called the “Heiju-mon” to the right after passing through the yakuimon gate. 　They would then proceed directly to the upper tatami-floored reception room (kami-zashiki). Household members would enter and exit through the front entrance on the eastern side of the main building.
　The first generation of the Uchida family was employed in the late 16th century by the Mizusawa-Date clan, serving as a foot soldier commander. They were retained and highly valued by the clan, particularly by Masamune Date’s uncle, Masakage Rusu, and continued to serve successive generations.